Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-07-16
WEST POINT LETTER.
Jud 70 George H. Nixon Railroad Mat
tsrs-M oonshine. etc.

IeAa- MAoonhuAh1s etts
To the CHRONICLE;
/ Lawrence county Is now mourning the loss
OF one OF the most prominent citizens she
ever had-ln fact, he was generally conceded
10 be the most prominent, and the greatest of
all within her borders. s'his man was ex-
Chancellor George II, Nixon, who died on
July 9TH. 1887, aged sixty-nve years. He had
been In many OF the highest positions within
the gift OF his county constituents, and had
even been known In the executive depart
ment of the National Capital. Judge Nixon
was born in Murray county, Tenn, In 1922,
and the earliest years of his life were passed
In poverty and ignorance. But like many
great men before him, he rose superior TO his
position and climbed the ladders OF education,
fame aud fortune. He was eminently self
! made man. In 1917, when the call was made
| for volunteers for the Mexican war, MIR.
Nixon was one OF the first 10 respond to the
call, and went TO the scene OF action as lieu
tenant of q company OF young volunteers
raised In Lawrence county. He soon won
high honors for his daring bravery In that
struggle. heard an old man, who was In
Nixon's company, say that he was the first
man who went into the Mexican fort at Mon
|
United States troops was, in d large measure,
due to the leadership of the young lieutenant.
On the public square at Lawrenceburg stands
monument erected through the instruments
allty of Mr.. Nixon, dedicated TO the memory
OF Captain Allen and about twenty Ave mem
bo-s OF the gallant Lawrence county boys
who never returned from the bloody fields OF
Mexico. Judge Nixon was the first man In
Lawrence county who advocated getting out
Of the backwoods aud coming 10 the front by
building the Nashville a Florence railroad.
And not only did he advocate IL orally, but
when the work was stopped at Sandy Hook.
he graded a mile OF road TO get II away from
Murray county, and made the company a
present of his work. From 1879 to 1885 he was
president of the road, and finally refused re-
election. Under Buchanans administration
he was appointed land agent of Nebraska
and filled that office until the breaking out of
the civil war, when he "chose rather TO suffer
with his people" than to draw a large salary
away from the smell of powder. He raised
regiment here, and as Its colonel did valiant
service for the "Sunny SOUTH He was pos
sessed OF fine property, and had the reputa-
ton of using 1t with great discretion and gen.
erosity.
Farmers are looking happy over their
bright prospects A fine oat and wheat crop
has been cut, and corn is just trying TO see If
1t can't break itself down growing. The
earliest planting is nearly made, and good
season for two weeks will insure the heaviest
crop known for years. Cotton looks fine, and
the frequent rains keep the pastures ver-
dant
Work on the West Point branch of the N.
& f. railroad is progressing "easy by jerks
Labor is scarce and hard to keep. Negroes In
the country here are few and don't like to
work much, and the Italian is not very relia-
BILE. About twenty of the latter race, after
having their fare paid from New Yolk, and
6 getting board two days, skipped by the light
of the moon" last week, bat were captured
before they got to Columbia, brought back
and they now promise to work.
1t is expected that West Point will be q
, railroad city by December LIST, and then to get
Q a boom will occupy the minds of the landed
citizens. The town has commenced already
to improve, neat business house having
Z been put up lately by Messrs. Palke, Herin
& Co., and is filled with everything from
shoe-pegs up to headgear-with all the neces-
saries and luxuries needed between those
points.
Last Saturday the darkies for miles around
, congregated on the waters of Chisholm creek
{ for the purpose OF demolishipg barbecue anc
chicken pie, and executing the double shuttle
and "cutting the pigeon-toe" AS is usually
!, the case some "boozo" got mixed up with the
= crowd, and made the gallant bucks swing
. with much enthusiasm. Suspecting thai
some "wild-cat medicine" was not far OFF
Sheriff Kelley commenced to nose arounC
and to spot some suspicious characters Ate
little while he heard man say that he haC
4 imbibed some of the juice bought Of sons
U parties "up in the woods" Mr.. Kelley ther
= deputized three men, of which trio tormet
9 the least conspicuous parsonage, and W,
y started after the saloon. 1t didn't take loni
r to walk into the bar-room, which l may adC
was like unto Goods first temple" and con
sisting of two big brown jugs and bottle
, There was slender" for each of the vessels
> and by dint Of little persuasion we got then
d to accompany US to see the local dispenser q
" Justice, Squire Price, And then, after all th
y trouble, the whole thing was a signal failure
The man who could testify as to buying til
liquor had Yamoosed, leaving his mule be
) hind him and taking to the bushes. H
couldn't be found and the "jugslers" wen
their way rejoicing the evidence not bein
n sufficient to bind them over One thin
y struck me forcibly-every negro witness ha
been drinking and in every case somebod
10 had given them the whisky.
?, Miss Gazelle Gibbs, OF Chinnubae was visit
q ing in Columbia and Lawrenceburg, las
week.
nf Ia rnh nv Oa1
menced her school Monday at the Tru
school-house.
% Mercury at ninety degrees and the top
1, the thermometer likely to fly off at any me
"a ment. PAUL J. WYATT.
K Pleasure in Perspected.